Drinking Water Notices

Boil Water Notices

Current Boil Water Notices: Suburban, Fernleigh and East Coast 

Residents using these water supplies should boil all water used for drinking and cooking for at least 1 minute before use. This includes water for:

  • Drinking
  • Cooking
  • Making Ice
  • Brushing Teeth
  • Washing Dishes

Information about how and when to boil water and what to do if you feel unwell. 

Please ensure friends or relatives living in these areas know to boil their water.

Living with Boil Water Notices can be frustrating.Council is currently working with Community and Public Health to identify how these supplies can be upgraded and improved to meet national Drinking Water Standards and have the notices removed.  Updates will be provided as soon as possible.

More information about each boil water notice can be found below.

Suburban:

A boil water notice is in place due to inadequate protection and treatment. Recent tests have indicated the presence of E. Coli in the water. 

The scheme has inadequate treatment in place.

Plans are now in place to carry out improvements to the suburban water scheme with works programmed for May and June 2020 The works will lift the quality of drinking water for properties on the scheme to meet New Zealand Drinking Water Standards and mean the boil water notice (BWN) that has been in place since November 2016 will be able to be removed.

The draft plan for the improvements

The works are estimated to cost $159,000 +/- 10% which will be within the approved available budget.

The improvements will connect properties to the Kaikoura Urban water supply scheme. Plans include new local piped reticulation network and new valving including a local pressure boosting pump. The existing suburban water treatment plant will be decommissioned.

Benefits of the works include:

  • Quick construction and implementation timeframe
  • A reduction in operational and maintenance costs due to the disestablishment of the existing suburban water treatment plant
  • The pipe required will come from stock already owned by council that was purchased during the earthquake response
  • There is enough capacity within the Kaikoura Urban scheme to allow for the connection of the suburban scheme without compromising existing connected water users
  • The Kincaid water scheme would also benefit as removal of the suburban scheme from the Waimangarara River intake would allow for additional flow to the Kincaid scheme.
  • Urban and Suburban water schemes will then both meet bacteriological and protozoal treatment requirements under national drinking water standards  

Other options were investigated including upgrading treatment at existing site/scheme, finding an alternative bore supply, alternative connections to the Kaikoura urban supply were investigated but were all found to be significantly beyond budget.  

Properties that will be affected by the works will be sent works notices before works start to make sure residents have all the information they need.

Once improvement works are undertaken and consecutive complying test results are received the notice will be lifted by agreement with Canterbury DHB.

East Coast: 

A boil water notice is in place due to inadequate protection and treatment.

The notice was in place before the November 2016 earthquake. Post-earthquake investigations highlighted the limited protection measures.  The notice will remain in place for the foreseeable future until decisions about the future of the scheme are made and any necessary works carried out.

The East Coast scheme is a very large rural supply used predominately for stock. Due to it's size, it would not be practical or efficient to treat the entire scheme. Discussions with the scheme committee and Canterbury DHB  are underway to look at future options including the potential to classify the scheme as a Rural Agricultural Supply.

Once decisions are made, improvement works are undertaken and consecutive complying test results are received the notice will be lifted by agreement with Canterbury DHB.

Fernleigh: 

A boil water notice is in place due to inadequate treatment barriers and E.Coli being detected in routine water samples.

The scheme is managed and operated by Downer. The Fernleigh Water Management Committee (FWMC) is responsible for the maintenance of the water scheme. Council’s role is to monitor water quality through regular testing.

Once the FWMC has decided on the appropriate upgrade options and improvement works are undertaken and consecutive complying test results are received, the notice will be lifted by agreement with Canterbury DHB.

More information